Julius Peppers could be coming to an NFL team near you.
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Everyone is probably sick and tired of hearing the pros and cons of free agent defensive end Julius Peppers.
Pros: He’s the most talented pass rusher in the NFL. Peppers can easily get double digit sacks every season and has totaled 81 sacks in his eight-year career with the Carolina Panthers.
That sounds like a guy who deserves to be the highest paid defensive player in the league. But, there are plenty of negative things being said about Peppers’ that should get a team’s attention.
Cons: He’s going to be 30 years old during the 2010 season. Also, despite his ability to get to the quarterback, many have suggested Peppers takes plays off. If he doesn’t go all out during games, would he go all out once he gets a big contract?
Both the good and the bad points about Peppers are valid, but either way, some team is going to pay him the money he seeks. What kind of money is that? Well, he wants to get the kind of money Albert Haynesworth got last offseason from the Washington Redskins, which was paid in the neighborhood of $41 million guaranteed.
Here are three teams we can expect to give Peppers a call at the stroke of midnight on Friday, March 5.
There has been talk that Peppers is interested in playing outside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. And given the fact New England tried offering a second round pick for Peppers last offseason, one would think that this could be a good fit.
We all know that lazy players don’t mesh well with head coach Bill Belichick. However, Belichick is known for giving players a second wind. Randy Moss’ career was finished after a brief stop with the Oakland Raiders. But, after arriving in New England in 2007, Moss caught a record 23 touchdown passes for the most prolific, single-season offense in NFL history.
Belichick also took a flyer on the broken down, head case that was Corey Dillon following the 2003 season. Dillon turned out to be an important piece for New England’s 2004 championship team. He ended up rushing for 1,635 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns that season.
It’s possible Belichick can motivate Peppers to play at a high level consistently.
This would be a great landing spot for Peppers. Put him opposite Trent Cole on an already great defensive line, and this could be one of the scariest pass rushing tandems in the entire NFL.
Keep in mind, Philadelphia might be in win now mode. Despite lots of speculation, Donovan McNabb is expected to be back for at least next season. Adding a guy like Peppers to an already solid NFC contender could easily make the Eagles as a Super Bowl contender next season.
This is a team that is starting to pick up steam as of late. NFL.com reporter Jason LaCanfora has heard from league sources that the Bears are targeting Peppers when free agency starts.
The Bears haven’t been getting to the quarterback the past couple of seasons. Adding a guy like Peppers could help bring back the kind of pressure they had in 2005 and 2006. If he plays up to his capabilities, it could also make Tommie Harris’ and Alex Brown’s jobs easier.
However, they might be shell-shocked in terms of making a market setting signing. After making Harris the highest paid defensive tackle in 2008, he’s been a major disappointment since. Would the cons about Peppers make them think twice?
